Fragments From Floyd

I had hopes for doing better than this, but realistically, I know I won't go back a half dozen times with the camera on a tripod at different times during the afternoon to find just the right bit of dappled afternoon sun hitting just the right pool where these fish happen to be bunched up for a group shot. And I should add that they are not floating motionless waiting for me to snap the shutter. This image was taken at 1000th of a second, or these fish would be nothing but finny blurs. The closest I came to having an ideal perspective was from the truck when I was driving across the creek to carry some things to the barn. I discovered that looking straight down out of the driver's side window put me directly above and very close to my subject, but for the telephoto lens it was too close, and with the 18-80mm lens, I was too far away.

I have, however, spent a total of some hours watching the courtship and aggressive display of the males keeping herd over their harem of females--seven of the latter in this shot, if you look closely. You can see the distinctive spots at the base of dorsal and pectoral fins, but can't see the pattern of spots and lines very well. The ladies are actually quite attractive in their own right, but eclipsed, as is often the case with regard to color and sheer gaudiness, by the males (the master of this harem in the lower left corner) in breeding attire.

If I've identified this fish correctly (I'll be consulting my guide to freshwater fishes later on) this is a Mountain Red Bellied Dace living here in Goose Creek, that forms part of the headwaters of the south fork of the Roanoke River. You can see a fish-out-of-water image here. And I'm getting a little anxious about their future. The creeks are dwindling again. They went completely dry in 2003, and this is the first year the fish population has come back strong and healthy. We badly need rain.